The present invention relates to image sensing technology, and more particularly, to an image sensor capable of more accurately sensing images by removing a photocharge element corresponding to noise within a pixel, and an image pickup device including the image sensor.
Image sensors are semiconductor devices that convert an optical image into an electrical signal, and may be roughly classified into charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors and CMOS image sensors (CISs).
The image sensors may convert an optical signal detected from each of a plurality of photo sensitive elements (for example, photodiodes) arranged in a two-dimensional matrix into an electrical signal to generate an image. However, the image may include predetermined noise due to factors such as the quality of image sensors or the amount of peripheral light of the environment where an optical signal is detected, and the noise may be an important cause of degradation of the quality of the image. In other words, since photocharge as much as the amount of noise may be generated in photo sensitive elements included in an image sensor, and the noise generates problems such as degradation of the quality of image, means for efficiently removing a noise component is needed.